Vegan Almond Cake

The BEST almond cake (or cupcakes) ever, vegan or not. If the cake lasts (without being eaten by everyone around it), it tastes great after being refrigerated for a few days. Includes THE BEST vegan frosting recipe. You can substitute the almond extract for any kind of extract for various flavored frostings. Makes around 30 cupcakes.

Vegan Almond Cake

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached white flour

1 3/4 cups unbleached granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup canola oil

2 TBSP almond extract

1/4 cup marzipan

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup vegan margarine

1 tsp almond extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1 TBSP vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup heated and sieved apricot jam

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

For cupcakes: line cupcake trays & spray cupcake liners with non-stick spray. For cake: line two 9″ round pans with parchment and spray well with cooking spray.

Sift the dry ingredients together and mix. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Make sure to break up the marzipan into small pieces.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat well until smooth.

Scoop into cupcake liners.

Check for done after 15 minutes for cupcakes and 30 minutes for cake with a toothpick. Allow to cool.

Cream margarine and shortening until light and fluffy.

Add almond extract beat until combined.

Sift powdered sugar into a separate bowl. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until combined well.

Add almond milk and beat until light and fluffy.

Once the cakes or cupcakes are cool, fill cupcakes with apricot jam and pipe frosting on top, or brush melted and sieved apricot jam between layers of cake before frosting.